Realization
by LordsBecca
Summary: In an alternate universe, Harry's parents are alive. But that also means Voldemort is too....
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: Realization  
AUTHOR: Becky  
E-MAIL: gutrball7@yahoo.com  
RATING: PG  
CATEGORY: AU-Alternative Universe  
ARCHIVE: Sure, just drop me a line!  
STARTED: October 29, 2000  
FINISHED:  
  
SUMMARY: In an alternate universe, Harry's parents are still alive. How are   
things different? Some differences are fabulous. Like no Dudley. But on the   
other hand, others are very deadly....  
  
**DISCLAIMER: I realize that I do not own Harry, Ron, Hermionie, James, Lily,   
Voldemort, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Neville, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Snape...etc. But   
I DO own Jenny! So ha!  
  
^*^*^  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
  
"Harry! Harry, come on, get up son!"   
  
The sound of his father's voice traveled up the stairs, and seeped through the   
door, and found it's way to Harry Potter's ears.   
  
Groggy Harry rubbed his eyes, and pushed his messy black hair off his scar-less   
forehead. He picked up his glasses off the side table, and put them on his   
bright green eyes. And when he suddenly remembered what day it was, he bolted   
out of bed.   
  
"What to wear...what to wear..." Harry thought as he looked through his nicely   
fitting clothes. He picked a nice blue tee shirt, and through it on over his   
head.   
  
"God, I hate this scar," he said to himself as he looked at his lightning   
shaped scar on his chest.   
  
Harry had gotten that scar when he was a baby. But he never found out how. His   
parents always just changed the subject whenever Harry asked about it.  
  
Young Potter combed his unruly jet-black hair, and ran downstairs. There,   
presents were awaiting the new fifteen-year-old.  
  
"Happy birthday, Harry!" said Lily. She ran up to him and kissed him on his   
cheek, and handed him a thin box. Harry already knew what it was. It was a new   
broom, a Firebolt.  
  
"Thanks, mom. Hey, dad. What's on the wireless?"   
  
James shook his head. "Another Muggle attack. One dead, one in serious   
condition."  
  
Fear took over Harry, but he was used to it. News like this was on the   
television all the time, for as long as he could remember. It was, without a   
doubt, the work of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.  
  
"It's horrible," said Lily, who continued to spread icing all over Harry's   
birthday cake. "Why would someone want to kill Muggles? They are harmless!"  
  
"I agree, Lily," said James. "It's disgusting."  
  
A little blonde girl came running down the stairs, holding a present out to   
Harry. It was Harry's sister, Jenny.  
  
"Happy birthday, Harry!" she said, handed Harry his present, and ran over to   
James. "Daddy, can I go horseback riding today?" she asked. Lily, who was from   
a Muggle family, introduced Jenny to horseback riding a few years ago.  
  
James shook his head. "Not today, honey. I'm taking Harry to Ron's house, and   
then I have a meeting with Lucius Malfoy. Your mothers' going to be cleaning   
all day."  
  
Jenny pouted, and slouched over to Harry. "Can I go with you?" she asked. "I'll   
play with Ginny. I promise I won't bug you guys. Pleeeease?!" she asked.  
  
Harry groaned. "No, Jen. Ginny's coming with Ron and me to Diagon Ally. We've   
got to go shopping for our Hogwarts stuff. Unless, mum, you want me to take her   
so she can get her robes and her wand?"  
  
Lily nodded. "Harry, that would be wonderful. I have no time to get Jenny her   
things. And your father is going to be busy all month with this Malfoy   
character.  
  
"Alright. Jenny, you can go with the kids." Jenny jumped up and down. "But you   
have to listen to what Harry says. Right Harry?" commanded Lily.  
  
"That's right," agreed Harry. "Dad? Dad, we'd better get going. Ron does not   
want me late."  
  
James looked at his watch...and groaned. "Darn. I wanted to find out more about   
this attack, but all right! Come on Harry. You coming, Jen?" he asked as he   
grabbed the Floo Powder.  
  
"Coming, coming!" she said excitedly.   
  
And then, they were gone.  
  
****  
  
"Harry! Good to see you! Happy birthday!" said Mr. Weasley as Harry emerged   
from their fireplace.  
  
"Good to see you too, Mr. Weasley!" replied Harry, happy to be back in the   
Burrow.  
  
"Harry! Harry!" Ron came into the room. "Harry, Fred and George were made Head   
Boys this year. Can you believe it?" asked Ron.  
  
"I can't believe it," said Harry sarcastically. "You know how they are SO BAD."   
  
Fred and George were Ron's older bothers, who were twins. And they were   
perfect. Nothing about them was bad.   
  
The Weasley child who was a total troublemaker was Percy. But, unfortunately,   
Percy was out of Hogwarts. There would be no stink bombs this year.  
  
Ron spotted Jenny. "Oh, hi Jen. Coming with us, are you?"   
  
Jenny, who was fond of Ron, blushed and nodded.  
  
"Well," said Fred who had emerged into the room. "Let us get going, shall we? I   
have to get a new owl, if that's all right with you, father?"  
  
Mr. Weasley bit his lip. He didn't want to say that he couldn't afford it in   
front of James and Harry.  
  
"Er...we'll discuss it later, eh son?" he said.  
  
Fred nodded. "Yes, father."  
  
Harry, who was discussing the Chudley Cannons with Ron, suddenly stopped in mid-  
sentence. He smiled broadly, unable to find the words to express the emotion   
that had come over him.  
  
Hermionie Granger was walking down the stairs, towards Harry. Though they had   
been going out for some time now, her absolute beauty always amazed Harry. Long,   
wavy, flowing brown hair curled around her shoulders, and it bounced when she   
walked. Her eyes sparkled with a gleam of happiness, and her long legs carried   
her perfect body closer and closer to Harry.  
  
Hermionie felt the same way about Harry. She was always breathless when she saw   
him. Those eyes that just melted the soul...and the way his smile made her heart   
flutter. He was, without a doubt, the cutest, and most admired boy in school.   
And when he had contacts in instead of his glasses, he was even more attractive.   
  
"Harry," said Hermionie, "you're late!"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, you just take too long walking down the stairs." He   
began searching for a complement he had never used before. "Uh...your hair is   
bouncing nicely today." Harry blushed-that wasn't what he was looking for.  
  
Hermionie giggled, and James gave Harry a look that said, "smooth son, smooth."  
  
Ginny came racing down the stairs after Hermionie. The redhead tripped when she   
saw Harry, and blushed. Oh, she was another of the many girls that liked Harry.   
And not only for his looks, but also for his attitude. His humor. His undying   
love for books, and music....  
  
Mr. Weasley ended his conversation with James and turned to the teens which   
occupied most of the space in the small room.  
  
"Daddy, Jenny and I want to stay here, is that alright?" asked Ginny  
  
"Yes, darling. You may. We'd better get going, huh?" he asked. Harry nodded,   
along with Hermionie. "Okay then. Let's go." Mr. Weasley then turned to face   
James. "So long James. I hope to see you soon."  
  
James nodded. Then, in a serious whisper, said to Mr. Weasley, "Promise me you   
won't let anything happen to Harry. You will keep an eye on him, won't you?"  
  
Mr. Weasley replied, "Of course, James. I swear to you I won't let you down."  
  
James nodded. "Alright then." He faced Harry. "Harry, don't you go anywhere   
you're not supposed too. Don't you dare go looking for trouble. I don't care if   
it's your birthday."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know dad! You don't have to worry about me!"  
  
James didn't care what Harry said...he was VERY worried about his son. But for   
what reason, Harry couldn't understand.  
  
"Okay. Be good, and good-bye!" said James, just before he disappeared right   
before Harry's eyes.  
  
^*^*^  
There IS more! Do not panic!  



	2. Chapter Two (Original, eh?)

CHAPTER TWO  
  
"...And look at this one over here! Did you see that one Ron? Huh?! Did you see   
that one! Look how big it is. And this one over here!" Harry yelled to Ron, who   
was yawning outside the store's door. "Oh, come on Ron! This one's gold...pure   
gold..."  
  
Hermionie was becoming agitated, and kept tugging on Harry's sleeve. "Harry   
please. I want to go get our semester books. I don't want them to sell out   
before we even get them." Hermionie started at her boyfriend. "Harry, are you   
listening to me?"  
  
Harry paid no attention.  
  
Ron came over. "Stiff as a board, eh?"  
  
Hermionie frowned. "He's staring at those snitches and broomsticks more then he   
stares at me! He loves Quidditch more then he loves me!" Tears formed in   
Hermionie's sensitive eyes.  
  
Harry snapped out of his Quidditch trance and hugged Hermionie. "Now Hermionie,   
you know that's not true!"  
  
Hermionie sobbed. "Oh yeah? What color are my eyes?" She closed them to prevent   
Harry from looking.  
  
Harry bit his lip. "They're...uh...blue?"  
  
Hermionie wailed. She turned to face Ron, who grabbed her and hugged her. "I   
can't believe you, Harry Potter!"  
  
Not knowing what to do, Harry just stood there, mouthing to Ron; "what did I   
do?"  
  
Ron cracked up, Hermionie too. Laughing uncontrollably, Ron turned to Harry and   
said, "Harry birthday, Harry. We now know what age does to one's brain cells!"  
  
"OY! POTTER!"  
  
Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy, the evil Slytherin, come up to him. "What do   
you want, Malfoy?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, cut the crap, Potter. You know what I want."  
  
For a few moments, Harry, Hermionie, and Ron started at Malfoy and Malfoy stared   
back. It was Hermionie who finally broke the silence.  
  
She threw her arms around Malfoy, and said, "Oh, Draco! We've missed you so   
much! My mother was so upset you didn't come to visit this summer...and you   
never showed up for my birthday party!"  
  
Draco nodded. "Oh yes, I'm so sorry Hermionie. I was visiting my cousin in   
America...I wasn't able to come. Do you hate me?" Draco gave Hermionie the   
cutest puppy face.  
  
"No," said Hermionie reluctantly, "I don't hate you."  
  
"Great!" Draco turned to Ron. "What's Percy been up to, eh? Still causing   
trouble I hope?"  
  
Ron laughed. "Oh yes, it's been the usual. Blowing up the house, getting kicked   
out of summer camp...nothing major!"  
  
Draco smiled. "Did you get my owl on ordering his tongue-toffees? I really would   
like to use them on my dad. He hasn't smiled in ages. He needs a good laugh at   
some point."  
  
Harry sighed. "You-Know-Who still out to get him, Draco?"  
  
Harry remembered the horrible night when Voldemort realized his favorite Death   
Eater, Lucius Malfoy, was really a spy for Albus Dumbledore-head of Hogwarts.   
And Voldemort's one weakness. Albus was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of,   
and it was a blessing. Voldemort would love to be teaching all the students at   
Hogwarts how do be proper Death Eaters. But with Albus there, Voldemort would   
never be able to achieve it.  
  
Draco's eyes became angry, and his voice harsher. "Yes. The bastard doesn't know   
when to stop." Draco grabbed a book off the felf and used it as a fan. "Is it   
just me, or is anyone else here hot?"  
  
Hermionie shook her head. "I think it's just you Draco, sorry."  
  
"Hey man, are you okay?" asked Ron.  
  
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Draco nodded. He pulled up his sleeve to look at the   
shiny watch which occupied his strong wrist. "Sorry guys, but I have to go. Talk   
to you one the Hogwarts Express, eh?"  
  
Harry replied, "yeah. Don't forget to sit with us. Remember what you did last   
time?"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "I swear, I won't go hitting on any Ravenclaw chicks this   
time, okay?"  
  
Ron frowned. "Hey, you said that you'd take me chick hunting with you this   
year!"  
  
Hermionie stared at Ron. "Excuse me? 'Chick hunting'? What on earth do you men   
think about when we girls aren't around."  
  
Draco, Harry, and Ron all looked at each other, and in unison replied, "Chicks."  
  
Hermionie rolled her eyes, and began to look through the shelves, while Draco   
waved and walked away. She looked through each book, check titles and authors   
for something to read. She then suddenly stopped and pulled out a book. She   
flipped through the pages, and dropped it into her bag. And once again, she   
began to look through the books.   
  
"Harry!" she said in a shaky voice. "L-L-Look at this!" she held up a book.  
  
The book was large, and black. It contained at least two-thousand, small print   
pages, all on the dark arts. The cover showed no title, no author, no pictures,   
nor any words. Yet on the title page, it said, "Mastering the Unbelievable By   
Marvolo Rebelly".  
Harry looked stunned. "Rebelly? You don't think that he's a master at the Dark   
Arts, do you?"  
  
Hermionie nodded. "Yes. I've never trusted that Professor. He's so creepy! And   
his name...."  
  
Ron blew Hermionie off. "Oh, c'mon Hermionie! You honestly don't think that our   
potions teacher is evil...do you? You must be insane...he's the best."  
  
"Yeah!" agreed Harry. "Hey Ron, remember last year when he taught us about the   
boggarts? And he let Neville turn the boggart into McGonagall wearing the sumo-wrestler suit?"  
  
Ron fell on the floor, he was laughing so hard.  
  
Hermionie just stood there, ashamed of her boyfriend. "Harry! They man is   
crazy."  
  
"And what proof do you have of that?" asked Harry, now angry.  
  
Hermionie didn't have time to answer, because suddenly, from the front of the   
store, came a loud scream.  
  
Harry looked at Ron, who had stopped laughing. "What was that?"  
  
Ron shook his head. "I dunno. Let's go see what happened."  
  
"HARRY! HARRY! GET OUT OF HERE!" screamed Mr. Weasley, who came running into the   
store. "Where's Harry? Harry needs to get out of here...excuse me! I need to get   
Harry Potter out of here! Harry! Harry, Ron, Hermionie, where are you?"  
  
Harry ran to Mr. Weasley, and said, "What's wrong, Mr. Weasley? What happened?"  
  
"Oh, Harry! Thank God you're alright!" Arthur grabbed Harry's sleeve and dragged   
him out of the store. "Come on Harry, you need to get out of here!"  
  
"Dad? Dad what's going on? Dad, come one you're scaring me...Dad?" Ron asked.  
  
"Not now, Ron, not now. Is Hermionie here?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," said Hermionie. "I'm right here."  
  
"Good," Arthur said. "Then let's go."  
  
^*^*^*^  
  
"Harry!" screamed Lily, when Arthur returned Harry and Hermionie. "Oh, thank you   
Arthur. When I heard about the attack...oh I thought I'd never see..." Lily   
burst into tears and grabbed Harry. "Oh, I have to call your father...he's so   
nervous!"  
  
"What is everyone so worried about?! I'm right here! See? Nothing happened to   
me!"  
  
"And thank God for that, Harry!" said Lily. "Come in, come in Arthur. Would you   
like some tea, or something?"  
  
Mr. Weasley shook his head. "No, Lily. Better not. I should take Ron home. Will   
you be taking in Hermionie?"  
  
Lily nodded. "Is that alright, Hermionie? Would you like to stay with us,   
tonight?" Lily then turned to Arthur. "Or would she be in danger here?"  
  
Arthur shook his head. "I think with James here tonight it should be fine. And   
you're amazing at blocking the Da-" He suddenly stopped when he saw Hermionie   
and Harry looking at him. "Well, you know what I mean."  
  
"Yes. Then I think it best Hermionie stay here. G'Bye, Arthur, Ron."  
  
"Uh, bye Mrs. Potter. Bye Harry, Hermionie."  
  
"Bye Ron," said Harry.  
  
Lily took the two inside and asked as she dried her tears, "are you two hungry   
at all?"  
  
"Mom?" asked Harry, "what's going on? Why are you and dad so protective? What's   
going on?" He then lifted his shirt so his six-pac and scar were visible.   
Hermionie blushed.  
  
"Does it have anything to do with this scar?" asked Harry.  
  
Lily turned away from her son. "Your-your father will be coming home soon. Talk   
to him about it," she said in a quiet voice.  
  
"Alright. Hermionie," said Harry, "let's go upstairs."  
  
Hermionie nodded, and walked up the stairs with Harry. Once in Harry's room, she   
kissed him softly on the lips. "Don't worry, Harry," she said, trying to comfort   
him. "I'm sure they were just worried like normal parents."  
  
Harry grabbed Hermionie's waist. "I hate when they do this to me. I ask about   
the scar, and they just blow me off. I want to know what's going on." Harry let   
go of Hermionie and fell onto the bed. He laid down, and lifted his shirt again.   
"I mean, look at it. It's not a normal scar."  
  
Hermionie sat down at Harry's feet, and kicked off her shoes. "Harry, it's just   
a scar. You probably fell when you were a baby or something, and you're parents   
feel guilty, so they don't want to talk about it."  
  
Harry put his arms behind his head. "I dunno, Hermionie. And what's with them   
always trying to protect me from things that don't involve me? Like today-that   
attack had nothing to do with me, yet Mr. Weasley wanted me out pronto."   
  
Hermionie shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, Harry. But I'm sure   
it's not as bad as you think."  
  
Harry sat up, which caused his shirt to fall down. Hermionie frowned. "Darn," she said. "I was really liking tha-"  
  
Harry had grabbed her around her neck and pulled her to him, and he kissed her to shut her up.  
  
When they parted, Hermionie smiled, and pushed Harry back down onto the bed. She was about to kiss him, when suddenly, he cringed, and screamed.  
  
"Harry? Harry I'm not that terrible of a kisser, am I?" asked Hermionie.  
  
"N-No. It's just...OW! My scar! It feels like it's burning!" Harry grabbed his scar and screamed again.  
  
Hermionie looked at Harry like he was nuts. "What? What do you mean it's burning? Harry, what's going on?"  
  
"Go-Go get...get my mom..."  
  
Hermionie nodded and ran out the room. "Mrs. Potter! Mrs. Potter! Something's wrong with Harry!"  
  
Lily came running up the stairs and into Harry's room. "Harry? Harry what's wrong?"  
  
Harry didn't say anything.  
  
Harry was unconscious.  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Three (These chapter titles get ...

CHAPTER 3  
  
Harry felt cold water being splashed onto his face, and it fell into his mouth. He spit it out, and he suddenly felt someone grab him.  
  
"Harry! Thank goodness you're all right!" It was Hermionie.  
  
Harry coughed and tried to sit up. He didn't succeed. He fell right back down, and his head throbbed from the impact on the soft pillow.  
  
"Oh, my head..." Harry whined.  
  
"James, go get another cold compress," ordered Lily.  
  
Harry heard someone walk out of the room, and someone else began to rub his head. He recognized the feel of the skin-it was soft like a rose's petals. It couldn't be anyone except Hermionie who was comforting him.  
  
Lily was taking his pulse. At least, he assumed it was Lily. Harry's eyelids were too heavy to lift, and it would also hurt his head to open them.   
  
"Hermionie dear? Could you go see what's taking James so long?" asked Harry's mother.  
  
Harry thought that Hermionie must have nodded yes, because suddenly the rubbing stopped, and someone walked out of the room. He was alone with his mother-he would finally be able to ask her what was going on.  
  
"M-Mom? What happened?"  
  
"I don't know, Harry dear. You tell me."  
  
Harry tried to remember, but all he could remember was as spasm of pain on his chest. He told his mother this.  
  
Lily didn't react to what her son had said, she just stripped off his shirt to examine the scar.  
  
"Hmmm," said Lily, puzzled by the mystical forces, which had caused her boy this pain. "What the hell happened?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I don't know," he said quietly. "I have no idea."  
  
Harry heard two sets of feet coming through the door. It must be Hermionie and my dad, thought Harry.  
  
"Here you go, Lily."  
  
"Thank you James. James, could you go call the doctor? Harry's not getting much better," said Lily.  
  
Harry opened his eyes. "No mom, I don't need a doctor, it's just shock, that's all. It's never happened to me before, I'm just sort of shocked."  
  
Lily nodded, and Harry closed his eyes again. "Mom, dad, I don't care if you want me to know or not. I have to know. What happened today, and why do I have this scar?"  
James frowned. "So, you figured out that the two are connected?"  
  
Harry nodded. "You won't tell me where I got the scar, or what happened today. It's totally logical."  
  
James sighed. "Alright, Harry. I'll tell you.   
  
"It was my wedding day, you had not been born, and Lily was walking down the aisle, looking stunning. She held her beautiful bouquet of flowers, and her beautiful red hair bounced, ever so slightly. When she finally reached me, I noticed tears in her eyes, she was so happy. We turned to the priest, and he began the ceremony. But something seemed very wrong. I didn't know it at the time, but there was someone in the crowd who didn't belong there. Someone we didn't invite.  
  
"Lily and I said our vows, and we retreated off happily married to the reception. It was just a shame that the building where we were planning on having the reception was taken over by Voldemort. Not that we knew that at the time. So we rode on our brooms to the large, beautiful house. It was known as the Riddle House, but did we make the connection? Of course not. No one had ever seen anything strange going on inside the house, nor had there been any rumors of Voldemort staying in his childhood home. Why should he? He hated his childhood. So why should he go somewhere where all the memories would flash back to him?  
  
"But he was there. Of course, Lily and I were the first to arrive. When we walked through the door, Death Eaters and Voldemort himself right away attacked us. Luckily, your mother and I are excellent at repelling the Dark Arts, so we were able to escape.  
  
"But Voldemort wasn't through with us. He was determined to kill us.   
  
"Fifteen years ago, we were blessed with a baby boy, who we lovingly named Harry. We never saw Voldemort after the wedding incident, so we thought he had given up on us. But, on the day that I brought Lily home from the hospital with you, Harry, Voldemort awaited us at our home. Once again he tried to kill us. Unsuccessfully. He also tried to kill you, Harry. And yet when he attacked you, the curse rebounded off you, and hit Voldemort himself. Yet because of Voldemort's Death Eaters being so loyal, Voldemort was able to regain his strength.  
  
"Harry, that scar is where Voldemort tried to hit you. I-I can't explain why it hurts. But it probably has to do with Voldemort. He's after you Harry. He swore that before you turned twenty, you'd be dead-by his doing. I-Your mother and I are NOT going to lose you. You may be the one Voldemort hates the most, but that doesn't mean that he's going to kill you. Your family and friends will make sure of it."  
  
Harry's face was twelve shades paler then normal. His hands were shaking. Was this true? Did Voldemort really want his parents dead? And if so, why? What did his parents do to him?  
  
"Harry?" asked Lily, "are you alright? I'm so sorry...we should have told you sooner..."  
  
Harry turned onto his stomach, and covered his face with the pillow. He couldn't prevent the tears, which streamed down his face.  
  
Lily looked at James, and they both left the room. Hermionie was left with Harry.  
  
"Harry, I-"  
  
"Just go away," Harry sobbed, to scared to talk.  
  
Hermionie nodded, and walked out of the room.  
  
Told By Hermionie Granger  
  
I couldn't bare to see Harry like that. I loved him so much, it hurt. I just wanted him to be all right. But he wasn't. He was hurting...which hurt me.   
  
But what could I do? I was just as frightened as him. How could someone do something like what Voldemort did? How could he hurt the Potters, who had never done anything horrible in their lives?   
  
But it was a typical Voldemort thing to do. He was famous because of all his attacks on innocent people. There was nothing that anyone could really do to stop him. And somehow, by some lucky chance, the Potters were able to escape.  
  
I hated Voldemort. Oh, don't get me wrong, I've always hated him. But he hurt my boyfriend. The one person I loved more then anything.   
  
Voldemort was going to pay.  



	4. Chapter Four (::sigh::)

CHAPTER 4  
  
Told By Lily Potter  
  
Voldemort occupied my dreams that night. They were awful. All the visions of Voldemort came back to me...but in my dreams, James and I didn't survive.  
  
It was one year since Harry had been born, and Voldemort came into our house. Peter Pettigrew had told him where we were located. That bastard.   
  
So Voldemort came in. I ran to get Floo Powder so James, Harry, and I could escape, but once I had gotten the power, James had been killed. I grabbed Harry and tried to make an escape, but Voldemort cornered me.   
  
"No! Don't kill Harry! Kill me instead..."   
  
And that's when I woke up, sweating.  
  
"Lily? Darling? Are you all right?" asked James.  
  
I was gasping to catch my breath. "Yeah...yeah I'm okay..."  
  
James looked at me skeptically. "No you're not. What happened?" James pulled my hair out of my face. "Don't you trust me?"  
  
Lily shook her head. "Of course I trust you, James," I said, uneasy about the nightmare. "But...oh James! Just think of what Harry's had to go through in such a little amount of time! My poor boy just found out that he is the one person Voldemort hates the most! Oh James...what should we do?"  
  
James didn't say anything for a while. Then, "We just have to protect him like we have for the last fifteen years. Don't worry...we won't lose our boy."  
  
^*^*^*^  
  
Harry woke up at approximately five forty-five because of nightmares. His mother and father were dead, and he was living with his mother's Muggle sister, Petunia. It was awful.  
  
But it didn't matter to Harry at this point. He was up, and was unable to get back to sleep. He heard Hermionie in the next room, all ready getting dressed. He could hear her blow-drying her hair.  
  
So Harry slowly got up, and in a stupor, walked into the shower. The water woke him up, and got him moving. He dried his hair, threw on some clothes. Back into the bathroom, and put in those DARN contacts. Hermionie wouldn't be happy without them. At least he could do THAT for her.  
  
Harry yawned as he stumbled out of his room, and met his mother in the kitchen. She looked awful.  
  
"Oh, hello Harry dear," she greeted him. She put some eggs onto Harry's plate and flew it over to the table.   
  
"Hey mom. Dad and Jen up yet?"  
  
Lily nodded her head. "Hermionie is helping Jen and your father is taking a shower."  
  
Harry grunted in acceptance, and shoved some scrambled eggs into his mouth.   
  
"Remember not to eat too much. You are having a lot of food at Aunt Petunia's party tonight."  
  
Again Harry just grunted.   
  
Hermionie came down the stairs with Jen, and took her place at the breakfast table. "Hi Harry," she said, and Lily flew some more eggs to Hermionie.  
  
"Hey," Harry said, putting his fork down and starting back up the stairs.   
  
Ever since Lily and James had told Harry what had happened at their wedding, Harry had been avoiding Hermionie, which was hard to do considering she was staying at his house the whole summer. He didn't want to hear the wisdom and advise that she had to give. He had to get over it himself. Harry was defiantly a different person ever since he found out.   
  
And Hermionie didn't like it.  
  
Oh sure, she tried to talk. She tried whenever she could. But Harry just wouldn't allow it. "I don't want to talk about it," he'd say, or, "It's none of your business". That pissed Hermionie off.   
  
And this time was no different than any other. Why would it be? A hello from Hermionie to Harry was now no different than "Harry, you just need to relax about this You-Know-Who thing and move on with your life..." or, "He won't come after someone so defenseless as yourself." Harry didn't need that at this point. What he needed was some good strong lessons in the Defense Against the Dark Arts.   
  
So he called upon Draco Malfoy.  
  
^*^*^  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Potter. You're looking wonderful today, as usual."  
  
Lily rolled her eyes. "Hello, Draco. Looking for Harry?"  
  
Draco nodded. "Of course. Will I find him in his room, or outside playing tongue-hockey with Hermionie?"  
  
Lily gave Draco a stern look, and he quickly assumed, "well, I'll just go outside then."  
  
Lily laughed. "Very funny Draco. Harry's in his room. And, for your information, I would never allow Harry and Hermionie to be doing such things inside these grounds. Understood?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Draco scooted himself up the stairs of the Potter house, and found himself facing Hermionie, who was coming down.  
  
"Hermionie! How lovely to see you!" Draco bowed in his usual, trying-to-be-smooth-attitude and instead got a lot more then he bargained for.  
Everyone, who knew Draco Malfoy, knew that he liked Hermionie Granger. No shock there. Who wouldn't? And he was lucky enough to even be her friend, so he got the whole feeling that rebounded off of Hermionie. But of course, he knew that if he were to go for her, Harry would strip off his flesh in seconds. And maybe even get rid of some vital organs. And, just now, in the wonderful, beautiful Potter home, Hermionie burst into tears and leaned on Draco. Could Draco get any happier? HA! The mere idea is laughable!  
  
But, it didn't mean Draco wasn't confused.  
  
"Hermionie? Hermionie, what's going on?"  
  
"Oh, Draco! What's wrong with him? Why won't he talk to me? I just don't understand why he has to be so darn stubborn! I mean, just because He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is after him..."  
  
Draco pulled Hermionie off his chest. "W-what did you just say?!"  
  
Hermionie gasped. "Oh, oh dear, he didn't want you to know...God! I am such a bitch..."  
  
It was Draco's turn to gasp. "What did you just call yourself? Did you just call yourself a bitch?" Hermionie nodded. "Don't you EVER call yourself that! EVER!"  
  
Hermionie won't hear it. "But, Draco, you don't understand, you just don't understand....He's so worried...so frightened..."  
  
Draco looked at Hermionie. "Has he been hurting you? I swear to God, if that sonofa..."  
  
Harry opened the door to his room and stepped into the hallway. "Hermionie? Hermionie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean t-"  
  
This time, it was Hermionie's turn to show her pain. With a muffled voice because she was buried in Draco's arms, she whispered, "Just go away."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he realized that pushing Hermionie further to except apologies would just piss her off more. So, Harry just walked over to her, kissed the back of her neck, and silently walked back to his room.  
  
Of course, the whole time Draco was standing there, he was hoping Harry would somehow fowl up and leave Hermionie to stand there with him-alone. But, as usual, Harry had won this battle for the chick. Hermionie turned and ran to Harry's room, and left Draco outside, to think about how he had come SO CLOSE! And though Harry was his best friend, he wanted Hermionie. All friends get into some argument about the other gender, thought Draco, at least, I would think all friends do.  
  
Meanwhile, in Harry's room, Harry was holding his girl in his arms, saying, "I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. I've been a jerk."  
  
Hermionie nodded in agreement. "A big jerk," she revised.   
  
"Er-yes. A BIG jerk. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, or anyone for that matter. I've just been so shocked and taken with the thought that I was the one that made He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named even more evil then before. I mean..."  
Hermionie cut Harry off. "Harry, you didn't make You-Know-Who any angrier than if it had been Dumbledore that stopped him. I want you to know that I will stop him from even breathing on you. I will protect you, Harry. Even if it means risking my life."  
  
Harry pushed Hermionie off of him. "You'll do nothing of the sort! You will stay away from all of this. Don't you ever risk your life for me, alright? You mean the world to me. And if you're gone forever, then there is no point to my existence."   
  
Hermionie smiled and hugged Harry-HARD.  
  
Harry returned the hug, then suddenly remembered Draco, who was still standing out in the hall.  
  
Harry stood up and opened his bedroom door. "Draco?"  
  
Draco turned to face Harry. "Yeah?"  
  
"I'm ready for your lessons."   



	5. Chapter Five

CHAPTER 5  
  
Draco lifted his wand again. "Harry, it's very simple! Just say the words, patherna leopra and the big, angry, cat will come shooting out of the wand!"  
  
Harry shook his head in frustration. "But couldn't You-Know-Who stop that?"  
  
"Harry, Harry, would you be calm and cool when you see a powerful beast come at you? Or would you run to your mommy?"  
  
Harry looked at Draco. "You don't seem to get it. I'm using these spells to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Do you really think that he would run and hide when he sees a panther? This is VOLDEMORT we are talking about! I don't think that he would run and hide.  
  
"Listen, Draco. I haven't told anyone this, but since I was little, I've had these dreams. And retired Aurors were in these dreams. They told me that I must save the witches and wizards of England. So, it has become my quest to find Voldemort and kill him."  
  
Draco just stared. "So-so you're calling yourself the newest Joan of Arc, is that it? You think you can just prance along this world and claim that it has become your mission and your cause of life to save the wizarding world?" Harry just nodded. "That is fabulous! Why, you're a regular Maid of Loraine!"  
  
"Er-I'm not so sure about that, Draco," said Harry, as he bit his lip. "I'm not the Master of Loraine."  
  
"Well you'll have to stop saying that," said Draco, and he began to pace around the room. "Yes, we'll gather all the top wizarding fighters, and they shall join you!"  
  
Harry shook his head violently. "Unlike Joan of Arc, I'm not trying to bring people together. I'm trying to separate them.   
  
"Just think what would happen if I tried to unite England. Voldemort would have all his Death Eaters join our side. And, of course, we would never know they were his Death Eaters. So, we'd let them join, then POW! They'd attack-just like that. And we'd be so venerable."  
  
Draco considered this for a moment. "You know what, Harry? You're right! That wouldn't not be good."  
  
Hermionie walked into the room. "Uh, Harry? Your mom says that you need to get ready for the party. And Draco, if you'd like to join us..."  
  
Draco's eyes lit up? "Oh? And what party would we be attending? Queen Elizabeth's? Prince William's? Who?"  
  
Hermionie bit her lip. "Uh, Harry's aunt and uncle."  
  
"Oh!" Draco tried to hide the disappointment-unsuccessfully. "Well, that should be a real ball, eh Harry?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No way! Their son, Dudley, is amazing. He always makes me look bad. I hate going there. It's so shitty."  
  
Draco jokingly shook his finger at Harry, and, mimicking Lily, said, "Now Harry, they are family! Let's be appropriate!"   
  
Harry picked up a dirty sock which had been on the floor and threw it at him. "Shut up. And just for that, you're coming to visit these awful people with me. If I'm suffering, you're suffering with me!"  
  
*^*^*  
  
"Lily, dear! It's so good too see you!" exclaimed Petunia, as she hugged her sister. "Oh, and how's my little niece?"  
  
"Just fine, Aunt Petty!" Jenny said happily. "Is Uncle Vernny home?"  
  
Petunia nodded. "In the living room, dear. But you can't go see him until I get a hug, first!"  
  
Jen ran into Petunia's arms. "Can I go see Uncle Vernny, now Aunt Petty?" Jenny began to jump up and down, eager to go see Vernon.  
  
Petunia laughed. "Yes dear, you can go see him now." Petunia turned to Harry and Hermionie. "Hermionie dear, you're still going out with this slacker?"  
  
Hermionie laughed. "Yes, Mrs. Dursley. I still haven't broken the spell Harry has cast on me." Harry just rolled his eyes.   
  
"Aunt Petunia? Could I go see Topanga?" Harry tired to look as sweet as possible.  
  
It was no mystery that Petunia hated Harry. First of all, his name was Harry. It was a downright nasty, common name if you asked her. At least Jennifer was pretty. Harry wasn't even pretty. In fact, it was horrible! And then, Harry has to go and put Petunia's family threw total destruction. Well, not literally, but he did in theory. It was because of his beating Voldemort that put the Dursley family threw shame. In Petunia and Vernon's mind, Dudley was a lot better then Harry. And would always be. Dudley was good enough to eliminate Voldemort. But would anyone believe it? No...of course not. So Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley hated Harry. From his inner-soul, to his fingernails.  
  
And so, since he knew he wasn't ever wanted, Harry hung around Topanga, the beautiful, sleek, black lab that the Dursleys owned. It was so gorgeous...and sweet. It was the only member of the Dursley family that didn't hate Harry. Topanga loved Harry. She would play with him all the time...that is, if Petunia let them play. Petunia knew how much Harry loved that lab, and would not let them play when Harry would have to stay at their house whenever Lily and James went on their major Auror trips.  
  
But with Lily here, Petunia was not about to tell off her nephew.   
  
"Er...sure, darling. She's in the back."  
  
Harry beamed. "Thank you. C'mon, Draco, Hermionie."   
  
They ran to the backyard.  
  
And screamed.   



End file.
